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shackle angle

kubtastic

kubtastic

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Tacoma, WA
2000 XJ, RE 6200 (5.5" XD)

Do I need to replace something in the rear suspension, or just have my spine suffer another year?

I installed the springs and shackles in october '04, and expected them to settle. 9 or so months later, and maybe 10,000 miles, including a couple day long offroading trips, and they look like this:
P6300010.jpg

Lately, I've been loaded down about this much:
P6300011.jpg

Seriously, the ride is breaking my back, even with the softest shocks possible. I did drive most of the last year with an extra axle (the whole thing) in the back area, and a bunch of other crap. Now that I've put a heavier axle underneath, its even worse. Do I just need to put 350 lbs of concrete in back?
 
Did you loosen up the bolts and drive around the block and then retorque them last night? Did that help or no difference? Maybe it's time for a heavy bumper :D
 
I loosened them up, jumped up and down in the back area, drove around some, flexed it...

The shackle does push out when under load... but it doesn't get to vertical.

Time for a heavier bumper, and a whole lot of other stuff...
 
kubtastic said:
I loosened them up, jumped up and down in the back area, drove around some, flexed it...

The shackle does push out when under load... but it doesn't get to vertical.

Time for a heavier bumper, and a whole lot of other stuff...
Click to expand...

I got a spare 4.0 that you can borrow, put in the back and drive around with it :D
 
what springs are these? maybe we can trade. :D I need very heavy rear springs. anyway what about taking out a leaf or 2? that should soften them up a bit.

Dingo
 
does the shackle hit that bolt in the rear? I had to cut that bolt down on mine when I installed my rear shackle. After market shackles tend to be alot bigger and rub or stop on that bolt in the back of the shackle box.
 
Kubastic, it looks like you have a pretty thick main leaf there or is it just the picture? The thicker the leaf the stiffer the ride. Several thin leaves together would provide the lift needed and a smother ride as well.
 
I'm running the RE 4.5" leaf packs also. My shackles sit at about the same angle as yours. I am happy with the amount of lift but it does ride awfully stiff and worse yet, it really limits the amount of droop I'm getting. I'm really kicking myself for not putting up a little more cash and getting the Deavers.
 
Would the bomerang looking shackles help you guys out? In theory, you are truing to push the shaclke up into the XJ when the spring compress and not backwards like it should. The end of the shackle that the spring attach to should move lateral or in the same direction with the springs; in this case backwards when the spring is compressed. If you were to look at the XJ or other leaf sprung vehicles you would notice the bottom of the rear shackles never point forward but instead backward. There is a reason for this.
 
A boomarang shackle would allow you to mount a longer spring, but would not change your shackle angle as the shackle mounting points would remain in the same location. I am thinking about moving my upper shackle mounting point forward.
 
kubtastic said:
P6300010.jpg
Click to expand...
Since these are arched springs, the shackle will swing back when the springs compresses until the leaves are straight. In the back of the shackle box (as seen clearly above) there is a bolt sticking out. From the picture the shackle is already hitting that bolt. That will keep the shackle from moving back any further and that means that the springs will not be able to compress past that point. Disconnect the shackle from the leaf spring and test your shackle's range of motion. if it is hitting that bolt, then grind it down!!
 
-Neither the bolt nor the shackle show any signs of wear from hitting eachother. The shackle would have to rotate some 60 degrees before contacting that bolt's end.
-My main leaf is about 1/4" thick, although I didn't take a measuring caliper to it. It is only slightly thicker than the next 3 leafs in the pack.
-I think the route I'll go from here for a softer ride is to remove a leaf (or even two) to lower the height and spring rate to soften this thing up. I think the crazy ride is inevitable because so much more mass is on the road than there is on the vehicle, so it's also time to put the spare and tools back inside.
 
kubtastic said:
-Neither the bolt nor the shackle show any signs of wear from hitting eachother. The shackle would have to rotate some 60 degrees before contacting that bolt's end.
-My main leaf is about 1/4" thick, although I didn't take a measuring caliper to it. It is only slightly thicker than the next 3 leafs in the pack.
-I think the route I'll go from here for a softer ride is to remove a leaf (or even two) to lower the height and spring rate to soften this thing up. I think the crazy ride is inevitable because so much more mass is on the road than there is on the vehicle, so it's also time to put the spare and tools back inside.
Click to expand...
if you start removing leafs I think you might want to consider ways to limit spring wrap.
 
What "soft shocks" are you using? I run OME's but good shocks and spring rate don't solve it all. You know, it is never going to ride like a car. The XJ is a truck, and when you mod suspension, it'll ride even more like one. Maybe you need a new seat? I had mine rebuilt with welded reinforcments and new denser padding for $200 and it is WAY MORE COMFY. Screw the bumps!
 
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